Living life in the fast lane

Bridgman youth has need for speed

Bridgman youth has need for speed

January 22, 2006|JACOB SANDOCK Tribune Staff Writer

It's no surprise that Tyler Fisher talks about being an airplane pilot as the time comes to start focusing on a career. Fisher, a 16-year-old from Bridgman, will no doubt be looking for a job that will allow him to go as fast as he possibly can. The student at Bridgman High School is an up-and-coming motorcycle drag racer who won the Thunder Nationals last year at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Kalamazoo and who finished in third place overall last year in the local points series held at the same track. "The guy to beat was Jeff Green, he was pretty tough," said Fisher of his experience at last year's Thunder Nationals. "He won like five races in a row at one point. I raced him and beat him in the finals at the Thunder Nationals. That was awesome." Having finished in the top five in the points series at U.S. 131, Tyler also earned a trip to Norwalk Raceway Park in Ohio for the national finals. "He did good, just got beat," said Tyler's dad, Doug Fisher. "We dialed the bike a little bit too fast." Tyler went out in the second round, as did his father -- who had finished second in the local points system. You see, for the Fishers, motorcycle drag racing is a family affair. Doug Fisher owns a body shop in Bridgman, which serves as headquarters for the Fisher Racing Team. "I started in junior drag racing when I was 8," said Tyler, of how it all got started. "Then I've been getting into the main categories since I was 15. I guess I got into it because my dad and my uncle Greg have been doing this for about 14 years." As a boy, Tyler would travel with his dad and uncle on the national circuit as the elder Fishers would compete in events in Virginia, St. Louis, Atlanta and Florida. It's easy to see where Tyler got the need for speed. "I love going fast, you get a lot of adrenaline going," said Tyler, who went on to explain what has to be done to be a successful motorcycle drag racer. "You have to be focused and relaxed and try to do the same thing every time." Tyler has been in about 35 races in his young career and, until last year, had been traveling on the national circuit. "Last year we did not travel on the national circuit," said Tyler Fisher. "The competition is a lot stronger on the national circuit and my dad just wanted to start me off at a lower competition to get some points under my belt." Tyler found himself having to square off against some pretty stiff competition, though. He had to race against his dad. "He ended up beating me," said Tyler. "But it was real close." Too close for comfort, perhaps, if you ask Doug. But seriously, the young man's father is not likely to have much of anything negative to say about his son, who is able to handle all of his responsibilities as a student despite all the extracurricular activities. "I've been on the 'B' honor roll mostly every semester," said Tyler, who has to juggle quite a bit more than the average 16-year-old. "It's tough to get all the work caught up, but I do pretty well in school. My favorite class is World History." And what on earth does Tyler do during the winter, when it's tough to find a track on which to race bikes? That's easy. He races snowmobiles. "It's just something to do when we're not racing in the summer," explained Tyler, matter-of-factly. The Fishers have a four-member snowmobile racing team (Team Powder Hound) with which Tyler is able to fulfill his need for speed when the bikes are under wraps in the shop. "He won the Cadillac Snow Fest two years in a row up in Cadillac, Mich.," said Doug. The team races throughout the winter. Last week the team was in Houghton for a competition in the upper peninsula. In terms of racing bikes, it's pretty clear where Tyler would like to take all this. He'd like to someday make it to the NHRA and have a chance at racing Pro Stock motorcycles. "That's the highest level you can get," he said. "You have to get recognized and you have to have a pretty big-time sponsor to get there." It will be hard work, but Tyler and crew will work toward it without fail. The team currently is sponsored by Torco Racing Fuels out of Decatur, and is always on the lookout for additional sponsorship. When all is said and done, the best part of all this for Tyler -- aside from the high speeds -- is to be able to race with his family cheering him on. "My grandpa and grandma usually come from Bridgman to watch some of the motorcycle races," Tyler said. "They enjoy it." Although his grandfather might not have the same need for speed as Tyler and Doug or Greg, he serves an important role nonetheless. "My grandpa, he's our cook," said Tyler. "He cooks all the food in the mobile home when we travel." A family affair indeed.